143B-301. Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission - members; selection; removal; compensation; quorum; services.

(a) The Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission shall consist of 11 members. Two members shall be from the animal agriculture industry and shall be appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture. Nine members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Environmental Quality with the approval of the Environmental Management Commission with the following qualifications:

(1) Two members shall be currently employed as water pollution control facility operators, water pollution control system superintendents or directors, water and sewer superintendents or directors, or equivalent positions with a North Carolina municipality;

(2) One member shall be manager of a North Carolina municipality having a population of more than 10,000 as of the most recent federal census;

(3) One member shall be manager of a North Carolina municipality having a population of less than 10,000 as of the most recent federal census;

(4) One member shall be employed by a private industry and shall be responsible for supervising the treatment or pretreatment of industrial wastewater;

(5) One member who is a faculty member of a four-year college or university and whose major field is related to wastewater treatment;

(6) One member who is employed by the Department of Environmental Quality and works in the field of water pollution control, who shall serve as Chairman of the Commission;

(7) One member who is employed by a commercial water pollution control system operating firm; and

(8) One member shall be currently employed as a water pollution control system collection operator, superintendent, director, or equivalent position with a North Carolina municipality.

(b) Appointments to the Commission shall be for a term of three years. Terms shall be staggered so that three terms shall expire on 30 June of each year, except that members of the Commission shall serve until their successors are appointed and duly qualified as provided by G.S. 128-7.

(c) The Commission shall elect a Vice-Chairman from among its members. The Vice-Chairman shall serve from the time of his election until 30 June of the following year, or until his successor is elected.

(d) Any appointment to fill a vacancy on the Commission created by the resignation, dismissal, death or disability of a member shall be for the balance of the unexpired term.

(e) The Governor shall have the power to remove any member of the Commission from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, and nonfeasance according to the provisions of G.S. 143B-13.

(f) The members of the Commission shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with the provisions of G.S. 138-5 and G.S. 143B-15.

(g) A majority of the Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

(h) All clerical and other services required by the Commission shall be supplied by the Secretary of Environmental Quality.